‘John Wick’ Directors To Tackle ‘Bloodshot’ Adaption

About a month ago, comic book publisher Valiant Entertainment revealed it had received a nine-figure investment in its movie and television development arm. Now, the independent publisher is announcing a five-picture deal with Sony Pictures to bring two of its series, Bloodshot and Harbinger, to the big screen starting in 2017. It has been revealed that Bloodshot, targeted for a 2017 release, will be directed by the John Wick team of David Leitch and Chad Stahelski, working from a screenplay by Jeff Wadlow (Kick-Ass 2) and Eric Heisserer (The Thing remake, the upcoming Story of Your Life). Matthew Vaughn and Jason Kothari will act as executive producers.

Putting their names at the forefront with their acclaimed action/thriller John Wick, directing duo Leitch and Stahelski are in a position only few finds themselves in: able to tackle a range of different projects that are being sent their way. John Wick was widely acclaimed when it was released, leading to the directors being highly sought after, as The Inquisitr has previously reported. Keanu Reeves, the lead actor in the film, appraised them highly.

“It’s the world they’ve created and the vision of the story. The shooting style: the colors, the way they shoot the action. They’re doing wide shots, not a lot of cuts. They’re wanting the action to unfold in front of you as opposed to changing perspectives. That feels different — it’s a little more intimate and objective. It’s not just visceral action. You can believe what you’re seeing and it’s not just sound and fury. You can see the fluidity and what they’re doing — like that one hall shot where they’re wrestling, and he just comes through and pounds a knife into the other guy’s chest. There’s no cut.”

Both Bloodshot and Harbinger were among the first comic books revived by Valiant Entertainment during the company’s relaunch in 2012, leading to 2013’s Harbinger Wars series by Joshua Dysart, Duane Swierczynski, Clayton Henry, Pere Perez and Clayton Crain. Harbinger Wars is also currently set to be released sometime after both Bloodshot and Harbinger, and will unite both protagonists — and more than likely some of the principal cast — from both of the movies, somewhat like what Marvel did with The Avengers. The move to unite the characters from the movies was inspired by the comic books that they are respectively based on.

The other two movies that will comprise the five movie deal have not yet been named.